In technologies using FinFETs, uniaxial strain on the fins provides benefits, and can contribute significantly to device performance. For example, p-type FETs (PFETs) benefit from compressive strain, and n-type FETs (NFETs) benefit from tensile strain. During a fabrication process of a FinFET device, the fins may be cut during patterning in order to electrically isolate source/drain regions of adjacent transistors from each other. Cutting of the fins relaxes the compressive strain near the location where the fin is cut, thereby degrading performance, especially with respect to p-type FETs (PFETs), which benefit from compressive strain.
Accordingly there is a need for FinFET devices and a method of forming same that maintain uniaxial strain along areas of the fins where transistors are formed.